“To cook, perchance to eat”… Omelet.
Alright so it’s not quite Shakespeare but I’m feeling a bit romantic as I take on the task of finding our new wood cookstove. Or cook stove ~ it seems no one knows for sure.
It’s hard not to feel a sense of nostalgia when performing a research task such as this. Perhaps if Shakespeare saw the new wood cookstoves on the market he’d be tempted to write a sonnet. They are quite beautiful and I had no idea there were so many choices! Apparently William is along for the ride on this post so it appears you will be hearing from both of us.
220 A.D China produces the first cast-iron wood cookstoves. These are NOT stoves with ovens.
This may be a tale of more than two cookstoves but I believe the field has narrowed. Or as my bud Mr. Shakespeare said Temptation. The fiend at my elbow. Or in my case… fingertips. I had to weed through the units that tempted me and really dig down and determine exactly what we need.
First, here’s the bums rush tour of the history of the beloved wood cookstove. No you’re not a bum but I am rushing through the brainy part. Why? Cuz there are pretty pictures coming!
- 1557: The first wood burning stove was patented in Strasbourg France.
- 1646: The first US foundry making wood stoves starts production in Braintree, MA.
- 1728: Cast iron stoves begin to be made in quantity in the US. These first stoves of German design, are called Five-plate or Jamb stoves.
- 1744: Benjamin Franklin develops his own cast iron stove design.
- 1800: Benjamin Thompson invents the first metal wood-fired cook stove. This is the first stove to include an oven!
- 1906: The National Fire Protection Association first develops standards for clearances between wood stoves and combustible walls, floors and ceilings.
- 1974: Reawakening of wood burning in the US following the oil crisis.
- 1982: Wood stove sales climb to over 1.5 million per year and approximately 450 wood stove manufacturers sprout up around the US.
- 1990s: After the EPA standards, hundreds of wood stove manufacturers close down. Of the approximately 500 manufacturers prior to the EPA regulation, only about 100 remained.
- 2010: Wood is the fastest growing heating fuel in the US, rising 34% between 2000 and 2010 according to the US Census. Thank you to The Alliance for Green Heat for much of this information.
What most people think of when speaking about wood cook stoves.
How did we decide on a wood cookstove? We ruled out propane. Our Wisconsin home had two huge tanks that required most of our mad money, some of our Christmas fund and all the change from our couch to fill them every year. Plus I always found myself tip toeing around the tanks as if they’d blow up at any moment. Can you say Propane-a-phobic?
Being good little homesteaders we plan to be off grid as much as possible. It seems there are those purists who feel if you have solar panels or propane or even a generator You. Are. Not. Off. Grid. Mr. Bluejeans and I are more easy going homesteaders and feel as long as we aren’t getting a bill from some monopoly… we are ahead of the game. Or out of it, however you chose to see it.
We plan to have an outside kitchen for summertime. Best to avoid running a wood stove in the summer, unless you enjoy a 100 degree home. Not me. Our outdoor kitchen plans call for a cob pizza oven, a grilling area, place for dutch oven cooking, sink, cabinets, prep table. Ya know all the stuff you dream of when dreaming.
‘Course ours won’t have stainless steel, a fridge or snazzy furniture. It WILL have a roof.
Mind you it’s not merely the Paleozoic Era that beckons me (but who doesn’t like a good summertime cookout? Porterhouse!!) it’s also our choice to live off grid which requires thinking outside of the contemporary norm. Or in this case thinking “How did our grandparents and great grandparents do this”?
They needed heat in the winter, they needed to cook, they needed hot water. They used a wood cookstove which fulfilled these needs so it just makes sense that we NEED a wood cookstove! That and the discovery I am propane-a-phobic.
After much perusing and drooling I have made the BIG decision! Before I tell you though I thought it would be fun to show you some of the unusual and beautiful stoves that are on the market.
Pioneer Princess
Pioneer Princess. My first choice years ago when Mr. Bluejeans and I decided to homestead. Things have changed a LOT since that time. Wood cookstoves have changed in build and style. It’s a woman’s prerogative to change her mind and change I have. Sheet metal and boxiness is out. The Pioneer Princess is a work horse but I want the horses in the stable and some style in my kitchen. I’m fortunate enough that in this arena Mr. Bluejeans has given me carte blanche and I want something that looks good along with stellar performance. Sorry Princess. Parting is such sweet sorrow.
La Nordica America
La Nordica America. European flare with a cool Victorian vibe. Tempt not a desperate wo-man. Thanks for keeping me on track William. I know me. I’d say “no water reservoir? No Prob”… until the shiny wears off. Then: Prob.
Heartland Sweetheart
Heartland Sweetheart. Adorable throwback but only a 5 gallon water reservoir. Strike one. Second strike? No option for glass doors. I’m set on glass doors. As my companion for this purchase Bill says: The eyes are the windows to your soul – I need a window to my stoves soul. On to the next…
Elmira Fireview
Elmira Fireview. Hmmmm. I spy a glass door! Sadly the Elmira offers only one glass door and no water reservoir. Adieu! I have too grieved a heart to take a tedious leave. So leave I will…Bill, you get me.
J.A. Roby Cicero
J.A. Roby Cicero. Two. Count ’em TWO glass doors AND a water tank. Plus I like the updated retro look. Now we are on to something! But do I want legs? How much better is it to weep at joy than to joy at weeping. I’m feeling misty.
J.A. Roby Chief and Winner
J.A. Roby Chief. Ring a ding ding. {how did Sinatra get into this search?} Folks, I think we have a winner. The Chief has all the bullet points:
- water tank WITH a spigot
- warming oven
- two glass doors
- EPA Certified
- recommended heating area 1,000 – 1,800 sq ft (we won’t be over 1800)
- pedestal base with pan drawer
- ash drawer at front of stove
- BONUS: thermometers on oven and warmer
So there it is. The J.A. Roby Chief is the winner! Prepare for mirth for mirth becomes a feast. Yes, Bill, I plan on creating many feasts on this wonderful stove. Who invited this guy anyway? I just have to completely relearn how to cook since cooking with wood is nothing like just turning a dial or pushing a button! No Prob.
What’s your favorite way to cook? Gas, wood, electric?
“Love is blind and lovers cannot see” apparently didn’t pertain to cook stoves. Clearly this was the only choice. All the others, pretty as they may be, hold no flame to the J.A. Roby Chief. Looks like the perfect match for the 5DF homestead. 🙂
LOL! Apparently Bill has invaded your household too. I do believe the Chief will bring us many years of happy cooking! ~Niki
What do you use the water reservoir for, and what is the best way of getting in the hot water out of it? Thank you
The JA Roby reservoir is just a holding tank. I believe it holds about 7 gallons. You pour water into it and (as the stove is warm/hot) it keeps the water warm/hot. It has a handy spigot so you can pour off water as needed, say into a saucepan or tea kettle. Other brands, like the Pioneer Princess, can be used as a domestic water system (which is now looking really good to us since we are going solar and have to be careful of our electric consumption). You can hook it up to a 40 gallon water heater (such as the Vaughn brand) and with a pump, pump water from the Pioneer Princess’s water reservoir, through a water coil and into a Vaughn water heater (they carry both on and off grid heaters). From this water heater you would hook up just like any other standard house, so you could use at the kitchen sink and bathroom. Kind of a game changer for us. The Pioneer Princess isn’t as beautiful as the JA Roby but it sure is a work horse. At this point as much as my heart hates it we may opt for function over beauty. At the moment we have purchased a used Bakers Choice woodcook stove to get used to this new way to cook. Our home is far from completed yet, but as soon as I have practice I plan to blog and post You Tube videos about this new skill. Hope this helps!
Thanks!
You are welcome! Thank you for reading!
Thank you for providing so much information in one place!
I realize that your article is now a couple of years old, but I only started my research recently. I grew up (’50s & ’60s) in a house with an ancient cast iron stove in the kitchen that was both gas and wood fired. It was especially nice to take the chill off the kitchen and keep food/coffee warm with the wood portion plus have the convenience of the gas burners for quick and predictable cooking when needed. (Alas, the stove had neither windows or a water heater.)
Now, I’m on a quest for a two-fuel stove of my own and your article is a huge assist.
Thank you for sharing your story! Construction on our farmhouse was just completed today and our dream of a wood cookstove is getting closer. JA Roby is still our firm choice. It fits my need for both style and function. We’d love to hear from you when you find the cookstove of your dreams so feel free to swing by when that day comes and let us know your choice!
Did you get it? If so, how is it?
Thank you for asking! We have not made the purchase yet. Just had our farmhouse exterior built and now we are working on finishing the inside. Interior walls are framed but still have to wire, drywall & tile the floors. Massive job for 2 of us. Decided to go the solar route so we have a learning curve with that task. However, I still keep my eyes on the woodstoves available and JA Roby is still the one we will purchase!!
Wondering if you guys are enjoying your wood cookstove already and how you like it!
We decided to build all our animal shelters before finishing our farmhouse. Guinea coop, chicken coop, rabbit house, sheep & donkey shed.
Once these are complete we will get back to our place. We did get a screaming deal on a used Bakers Choice wood cook stove. While it’s not the JA Roby I’m dreaming of (maybe someday) it will be a great place to learn.
Once we have it installed I plan to create videos and blog posts showing (what will be a giant) learning curve!